In this recipe, the boiled peas or matar are tossed with a motley of fresh ingredients, chutneys, spices to create an exciting blend of flavors and textures that will keep your taste buds mesmerized and craving for more.

What makes this Instant Pot Matar Kulcha Recipe so good for you?

It’s the main ingredient dried white peas that makes this recipe a healthy addition to any diet.

These dried white peas or matar are full of iron and an excellent source of fiber. They are fat-free and an excellent source of plant-based protein for vegetarians.

Plus, white peas are also rich in manganese, copper, vitamin B1, phosphorus, and potassium. Now isn’t that amazing!

Other ingredients like onions, tomatoes, green chutney, tamarind chutney, lemon juice, and spices are added to add an extra crunch and enhance the overall flavor of this chaat.

Do not get confused with dried green peas!

There are two kinds of peas available in the market. One is the dried green peas, and the other type is the dried white peas. Both the peas have different cooking times, taste, and texture.

This matra ki chaat or matar kulcha recipe is made with white peas.

How to make Instant Pot Matar Kulcha Recipe?

The term Matar Kulcha is always used conjointly. But in this post, you will find the recipe for matar. Follow this link for the kulcha recipe.

Cooking Matar for Matra ki chaat

1. Measure the peas and quickly glance over them and discard any shriveled or unappealing peas. Rinse and soak the dried white peas or matar for 6-8 hours or overnight.

2. The next morning, matar or white peas will have absorbed enough water and nearly doubled in size.

3. Drain the peas from their soaking water. Rinse the matar or dried white peas gently under tap water. Transfer the matar to the Instant Pot insert and pour in 3 cups of water. Add salt and mix to combine. Seal the lid.

The valve on top should be in the sealed position. Press the Bean/Chili button and cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes.

4. Once the Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. When the pin drops, open the lid.

Cover the cooked peas with a lid and allow it to rest while we assemble the rest of the ingredients.

Cooking Tips, Faq’s, and variations to make a perfect Matar Kulcha Recipe!

Faq’s

» Is soaking required for Dried white peas or matar? White peas or matar are hard to digest. Pre-soaking the white peas will make them more digestible, which will help reduce flatulence and bloating.

In addition to that, pre-soaking white peas significantly reduce your cooking time by at least 75%. Therefore, soak beans before cooking to reduce gas and discomfort.

» What can you use as a substitute to dried white peas in this Matar Kulcha recipe? The closest match is chickpeas. Boil the chickpeas in Instant Pot until soft and tender. Drain the extra water and assemble the method, as stated.

» Cooked matar has too much liquid? Strain the excess liquid and set it aside. Cooked matar will thick as it cools. That’s when you can use this water to adjust the consistency of matar chaat if needed.

» Can you cook this matar Kulcha recipe in a regular pressure cooker? Absolutely! To prepare this chaat in an Indian pressure cooker –

Once the soaking time is over, drain the water. Rinse the matar or dried white peas under tap water. Transfer the matar to a pressure cooker. Pour in water. Add salt and stir to combine. Close the lid and pressure cook the matar for 3-4 whistles.

After the cooking time is done, take the pressure cooker off the heat. Allow the steam to release naturally. Open the lid and check matar. It should be soft and slightly mushy. Follow the recipe below.

Variations

» Do not like the raw taste of spices and onions in matar kulcha recipe? No worries, let’s cook them.

To cook the onions: heat oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté for a minute on medium flame. Do not overcook the onions.

Stir in red chili powder and cumin powder. Take it off the heat, pour over cooked matar, and mix to combine. Sprinkle tomatoes, chaat masala, and proceed to the next step.

» Don’t like dry matar kulcha? Add lukewarm water to the cooked peas until it reaches the consistency you like.

» You can modify the chaat toppings as per your taste and preferences.

Cooking Tips for a perfect Matar Kulcha chaat

» Always add salt while cooking the peas. The salt in the cooking water helps the peas to grow proportionally, resulting in well-seasoned and uniformly creamy peas that are soft and tender just the way you like it.

» Do not overcook the peas. Soaked peas will be perfectly cooked in the given time. Overcooking will result in mushy matar/peas.

» If cooking in a regular pressure cooker, cook on medium heat.

» This is a make-ahead recipe. If not serving immediately, you can boil the peas, cool it, and store it in an airtight container. When ready to serve, warm in the microwave until thoroughly heated and assemble, as stated in the recipe.

» This family-favorite matra ki chaat recipe freezes beautifully. Be sure to let it cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-proof dish.

It stays well in the freezer for about 2 months. When you are ready to eat it, it reheats well in the microwave.

» Feel free to adjust the spice levels to suit all taste buds.

So, if you are craving a chatpata meal, then this is the perfect dinner for you. Pair it with a kulchafor a delicious and filling meal. This matar kulcha recipe can be enjoyed as –

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 17th, 2015. UPDATED AND POSTED THE RECIPE AGAIN ON JANUARY 27th, 2020 WITH BETTER PICTURES AND TIPS!

Matar Kulcha Recipe

Take a trip down the memory lane with this lip-smackingly delicious Indian Matar Kulcha Recipe. This quick and easy recipe is made with dried white peas and topped with sweet-spicy chutneys and mild spices.

TOPPINGS

INSTRUCTIONS

BOILING MATAR

Measure the peas and quickly glance over them and discard any shriveled or unappealing peas. Rinse and soak the dried white peas or matar for 6-8 hours or overnight.

The next morning, matar or white peas will have absorbed enough water and nearly doubled in size.

Drain the peas from their soaking water. Rinse the matar or dried white peas gently under tap water. Transfer the matar to the Instant Pot insert and pour in 3 cups of water. Add salt and mix to combine. Seal the lid. The valve on top should be in the sealed position. Press the Bean/Chili button and cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes.

Once the Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. When the pin drops, open the lid. Cover the cooked peas with a lid and allow it to rest while we assemble the rest of the ingredients.

COOK MATAR IN AN INDIAN PRESSURE COOKER

Rinse and soak the dried white peas or matar for 6-8 hours or overnight. After the soaking time is over, drain the peas from their soaking water. Rinse the matar or dried white peas gently under tap water. Transfer the matar to a pressure cooker. Pour in water, add salt and stir to combine. Close the lid and pressure cook the matar for 3-4 whistles.

After the cooking time is done, take the pressure cooker off the heat. Allow the steam to release naturally. Open the lid and check matar. It should be soft and slightly mushy. Follow the recipe below. 👇

NOTES

» Do not like the raw taste of spices and onions in matar kulcha recipe? No worries, let’s cook them.

To cook the onions: heat oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté for a minute on medium flame. Do not overcook the onions.

Stir in red chili powder and cumin powder. Take it off the heat, pour over cooked matar, and mix to combine. Sprinkle tomatoes, chaat masala, and proceed to the next step.

» Don’t like dry matar kulcha? Add lukewarm water to the cooked peas until it reaches the consistency you like.

Cooking Tips for a perfect Matar Kulcha chaat

» Do not overcook the peas. Soaked peas will be perfectly cooked in the given time. Overcooking will result in mushy matar/peas.

» If cooking in a regular pressure cooker, cook on medium heat.

» This is a make-ahead recipe. You can boil the peas/matar in advance and store it in an airtight container. When ready to serve, warm in the microwave until thoroughly heated and assemble, as stated in the recipe.

» This matra ki chaat recipe freezes beautifully. Be sure to let it cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-proof dish. It stays well in the freezer for about 2 months.

» Feel free to adjust the spice levels to suit all taste buds.

Faq’s

» Is soaking required for Dried white peas or matar? White peas or matar are hard to digest. Soaking the white peas will make them more digestible, which will help reduce flatulence and bloating.

In addition to that, by soaking the white peas, your cooking time will be reduced by at least 75%. Therefore, soak beans before cooking to reduce gas and discomfort.

» What can you use as a substitute to Dried white peas in this Matar Kulcha recipe? The closest match is chickpeas. Boil the chickpeas in Instant Pot until soft and tender. Drain the extra water and assemble the method, as stated.

» Cooked matar has too much liquid? Strain the excess liquid and set it aside. Cooked matar will thick as it cools. That’s when you can use this water to adjust consistency of matar chaat if needed.

» Can you cook this matar Kulcha recipe in a regular pressure cooker? Absolutely! To cook this chaat in an Indian pressure cooker –

– Once the soaking time is over, drain the water. Rinse the matar or dried white peas under tap water. Transfer the matar to a pressure cooker. Pour in water. Add salt and stir to combine. Close the lid and pressure cook the matar for 3-4 whistles.

– After the cooking time is done, take the pressure cooker off the heat. Allow the steam to release naturally. Open the lid and check matar. It should be soft and slightly mushy. Follow the recipe below.

Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided below is approximate. Variations may exist due to the ingredients/brands used. Please refer to a Registered Dietitian or Nutritionists if you have any health issues.

Thanks for your feedback Ruby! Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂 Uncooked peas- a very common problem. Even I face it sometimes. It happens when the new batch of peas gets mixed with an old batch (which takes longer to cook). And because of that we end up with few uncooked/semi cooked ones.

Thanks Manish! Delhi style kulchas are made using yeast. That’s a work in progress and will post the recipe soon. For now I have a kulcha recipe on the blog without yeast. If that interest you than here is the link – https://www.ruchiskitchen.com/recipe/kulcha-recipe/

Ruchi you have one of the best written and best displayed receipes… I have tried several of your receipes including this one and I must say they are PERFECT to the T! Keep up the Good work! You r my perfect guide to Indian Recipe…..

Woohooo…. I made it. taste better than haldiram. They add raw tomato and onion but spices are lacking. Yours was much better and chutneys on top was what I needed to tickle my palette. This goes on my forever to cook recipe list and pictures…my god..true to the phrase, SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS. So well presented thanks you for another successful recipe. BTW, I tried your malai kofta and everyone praised my cooking, all thanks to you dear.

I had very little time on hand when I was looking for this recipe and when I found this I spent at least 1 hour browsing the whole website. Wow! I am amazed at your presentation. I plan on making this this weekend and many many more recipes. Thanks Ruchi…I don’t know you for the past 16 years wish I could have…my cooking would have improved a lot by now.

I had always tasted these on the street but followed your recipe to the T and they were actually better than the market ones and not to forget healthy and much cleaner. My family thanks you for that dear. Lovely and very helpful website.